


The places we'll go

by septnanis



Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: Canon Compliant, Keyblades (Kingdom Hearts), Kissing, M/M, Pirates of the Caribbean References, Post-Canon, Post-Kingdom Hearts III, Romance, Sunrises
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-15
Updated: 2019-04-15
Packaged: 2020-01-14 11:51:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,044
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18475681
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/septnanis/pseuds/septnanis
Summary: Sora and Riku take a few days off in the Caribbean, as promised, and Riku finds out he doesn't know everything about his best friend.Follow-up to With nothing to stop us.





	The places we'll go

Out of the many things Sora and Riku had in common, the Caribbean being one of their favorite places to go was one of them. In a way it reminded them of home, with the white beaches and blue waters that seemed to stretch on forever but there was something more exciting.

 

Also, and more importantly to Riku, seeing Sora as a pirate captain filled his stomach with butterflies.

 

Out of the goodness of his heart, Donald taught Sora how to change their appearance so they would blend in with the rest of the world. Sora’s outfit had been updated just a tad, taking into account that he was really growing like a weed now, even the roundness of his face ever so slightly giving way to more pronounced cheekbones and a sharper jawline. He’d likely never lose the boyish quality that made him so charming, but Riku didn’t mind.

 

Sora audibly gasped when he saw Riku in his pirate clothes.

 

“You look so _cool_!” He cried out, jumping into his personal space and latching on to the sleeveless, calflength leather jacket he was wearing. Underneath it he wore high waist black pants, tucked into slouchy brown boots and a white linen shirt that was had suspiciously lost the top half of its row of buttons, so it hung wide open. It being Sora’s magic may have had something to do with that, especially with the blush on Sora’s cheeks while he eyed the part of Riku’s chest that peeked out from underneath the shirt.

 

His slightly longer hair was in a knot at the base of his neck, which he was thankful for. His hair grew quicker than he could keep up with, and the humid heat of the Caribbean was already making him sweat. What was remarkable about his outfit, besides Sora fawning over him, was the pendant around his neck that rested on the bare skin of his chest. It was gold and heart shaped, the edges of the top of the heart curving inward.

 

“Come on! My ship’s just over there!” Sora said excitedly, grabbing into Riku’s hand to drag him in the direction of his ship. Sora had told him about his ship more times than he could count, his body practically shaking with excitement.

 

“Wait a minute!” Riku said, nearly jerking Sora off his feet when the other tried to run up the gangplank with Riku still attached to his hand.

 

“What?” Sora asked.

 

“I can’t just go on board without a rank.” Riku replied, really getting into the game.

 

Sora’s response was immediate and a smile made his face glow. “Oh, right! Well, as captain, I name you my Quartermaster!”

 

“What does that mean?”

 

“It means you have to do what I say,” Riku rolled his eyes at his Captain but let him continue. “And it means you have to take over if something happens to me.”

 

Riku stepped forward and took advantage of their hands still being connected by bending over and putting his shoulder under Sora’s stomach so he could throw the smaller of them over his shoulder. His hand snuck between his legs and grabbed him just above the knee so he wouldn’t fall, despite how hard he was struggling and squirming.

 

“Put me down! How dare you, I am your Captain!” Sora cried out, flailing his arms about.

 

Riku made his way up the gangplank until they were on board. “Excuse you, I was informed there would be kissing, Captain Sora. We’ve been here for almost an hour and so far, nothing.”

 

Sora squirmed a little again, until he could wrap his legs around Riku’s waist and put his arms around his neck. His face was a little shiny from struggling in the heat in his jacket, and his tricorn was a little lopsided. “Why didn’t you just say so?” And preceded to kiss Riku with the kind of enthusiastic abandon he’d come to love.

 

Riku put his own arms around Sora’s waist and took control of the kiss, slowing it down. The low appreciative groan Sora made turned his insides to jelly and he let the other slide down so they were both standing, pressed up against one another.

 

It was Sora who pulled away, face bright red and happy. “You’re such a good kisser, Riku.”

 

“Like you have anyone to compare it too.” Riku reached up to straighten his hat, brushing a few strands of brown hair out of the other’s face. In the bright sunshine of the Caribbean Sora’s skin turned a beautiful hue — even more so than usual — but most of all, his freckles were more pronounced. Riku loved those freckles.

 

“Like you do!” Sora shot back. He wriggled away from Riku’s hold but held tight to his hand, leading him up to the ship’s wheel.

 

He did actually. It was during the year Sora slept, and it was only the one other boy. He’d been working through why he had acted the way he had, why he was helpless to leave Sora’s side. Most of all he hadn’t been touched in a kind way by someone in so long, he’d started to feel lonely. So he wandered into Twilight Town, into one of the cafés and struck up an awkward conversation with a good looking boy with green eyes and black hair who kissed him at the end of the night. He’d been disappointed when Riku told him he’d be gone by tomorrow, but it had felt nice to be wanted.

 

Kissing Sora was miles better than kissing a stranger in a café, but he never regretted it.

 

Riku just hummed as an answer and Sora took no heed to it. “So where are we gonna go?” He asked.

 

“We can go anywhere,” Sora pointed at the map as they stood at the ship’s wheel together. “Jack said I should steer clear of Tortuga though.”

 

“Why’s that?” Riku asked, running a finger on the place on the map that read Tortuga.

 

Sora looked thoughtful. “He said it was full of _houses of ill repute_.” He shrugged. “Whatever that means.” Riku choked a little. “He said I couldn’t go there until I was older, which is just dumb because I turned seventeen three months ago.”

 

“Sora, a house of ill repute is…” Riku began to explain.

 

“I know what it is, Riku,” He shot back, taking hold of the wheel. “We’ve been together for almost six months _and_ we’ve been making out for that long, so I think I know what it means.” The fact that he was blushing made Riku believe he knew what he was talking about. “I just don’t know why he thinks I shouldn’t go there.”

 

“Let’s skip the den of inequity for now and find somewhere nice to go.” Riku offered, fending off the topic. “What’s your favorite island?”

 

Satisfied with being allowed to pick where they were going, Sora began to jabber about his favorite island and how they were going to get there and Riku stood back and enjoyed the sight of it.

 

—-

 

Either it was the creaking of the boat or Sora’s snoring that woke him, but Riku lay back in the large wooden bed in the Captain’s quarters with his eyes wide open. In a way it was peaceful, the ever so slight rocking of the boat paired with the sound of the waves outside. He’d almost fallen asleep once his head hit the pillow, if it hadn’t been for Sora crawling up to lie on his chest to cash in on Riku’s promise of more kissing. After an entire day of sailing and running around several islands they’d gone straight to bed after dinner. Some dinner, sea biscuit and dried meat wasn’t his idea of a good time, and Riku was always hungry lately. Mickey laughed at him once when he finally noticed how much he ate in a day and told him sagely that it was natural for young men to have a large appetite. He’d have to take Sora out for a proper dinner when they got back to Port Royal. He wouldn’t mind, Sora loved going on dates with Riku.

 

After a few more minutes of lying on his back with Sora curled around his waist, he decided he wasn’t likely to fall asleep again any time soon. So with the utmost care he manoeuvred his way out of Sora’s hold without waking him, tugging the blankets that had slipped up so they covered his feet. It wasn’t cold by any means, but the sight of Sora’s bare foot exposed while the rest of him was covered made Riku’s reflexes set in.

 

He made his way up to the deck, pleased to see a small hint of pink light at the edge of the horizon. In an hour or two the sun would be fully rising.

 

With a sigh he sat down on a barrel by the edge of the ship, leaned his elbows on the smooth wood and watched the sky slowly change color.

 

To be honest he wasn’t expecting Sora to come out before dawn, he usually slept as if he hadn’t slept in weeks. But there he was, blearily giving Riku a confused look from the open doorway in his baggy linen pants and too big shirt.

 

“Do you know what time it is,” Sora asked rhetorically as he swayed over to Riku’s side.

 

“No, you gonna tell me?” Riku teased, wrapping an arm around his waist once Sora was close enough.

 

“The sky’s getting all pink and orange, so that means it’s too early,” The word early was almost indecipherable through a wide yawn, after which Sora buried himself into Riku’s side, his face in his neck.

 

“Couldn’t sleep,” Riku explained. “Though I managed to sneak out without waking you.”

 

“You didn’t,” Sora mumbled into his hair. “Just woke up ‘cause you weren’t there anymore.” Sora was a clingy bed partner, more often than not because he always searched out any source of heat in bed, and he’d decided Riku was not only warm but good enough for cuddling purposes.

 

Riku scooted backwards on the barrel and then hitched Sora up so he could sit between his legs, Riku’s arms wrapping around his shoulders. Sora let himself be dragged up and put his arms around Riku’s waist. “Got a question, before you fall asleep again.”

 

Sora hummed in response.

 

“How do you even get the ship to… go?” Riku asked. Sora lifted his head and gave him a sleepy eyed confused look.

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“I mean, there’s two of us. I went down to put our bag away and when I came back we were sailing.” Riku explained his confusion.

 

Sora nodded and shrugged. “Keyblade.”

 

“You used the Keyblade to make the ship sail.”

 

“Sure,” Sora said with another shrug, as if was only natural that he was using the Keyblade for such things. “I use it for all sorts of things, watch…” He slid off the barrel and took a few steps back away from Riku. He held his hand out and in a flash of golden light Sora’s hand suddenly held a Keyblade.

 

Riku fell straight off the barrel with an alarmed noise. 

 

Usually seeing Sora summon a Keyblade was nothing to be startled about, but instead of the Kingdom Key or one of the many iterations of Keyblades Sora had collected in his travel throughout the worlds, this Keyblade was…

 

_The_ Keyblade. The X-blade.

 

And Sora was holding it like it was the most normal thing in the world.

 

Riku pulled himself up the side of the barrel with wide eyes. It was almost silly looking, the blade nearly as long as Sora was tall, in his frumpy sleeping clothes, glazed eyes and even messier hair than usual.

 

“Where did you get… how did you just do that?” Riku asked in a panicked voice.

 

As if waking up from a dream, Sora looked at the X-blade and his brow furrowed a bit. “Oh, oops. I didn’t mean to summon this one. Ugh, it’s so heavy.” He put his other hand on the handle and lowered it so the tip rested on the planks of the deck.

 

“Sora,” Riku began carefully, coming from behind the back of the barrel slowly. “How did you just do that?”

 

Sora shrugged. “Dunno, no one ever explained how we can summon Keyblades, it just sorta happens, right?”

 

“Yes, but… this Keyblade is different. How is it possible you can even summon this?”

 

Sora’s face was still sleepy but suddenly serious. “He gave it to me, didn’t he.” He didn’t phrase it as a question. “Or I won it. I guess. Who knows? It’s mine now, though.” He tilted the blade to the side so its shiny surface caught the light, golden en green shimmering on the deck. “You want to hold it?” He asked and held it in Riku’s direction.

 

Riku was torn into pieces. Of course he wanted to hold it. He also wanted to know why his best friend could casually summon a blade that could open another dimension and that others had fought wars over. Judging from Sora’s half asleep face, it wasn’t likely he’d get an answer any time soon.

 

He closed the distance between them and held his hand out. Sora moved his own and placed it close enough so Riku could take it.

 

“I don’t think…” Riku said, suddenly doubting himself. “I don’t think I’m worthy to…”

 

“Of course you are,” Sora replied with a smile. “I think you are.”

 

_Keyblades are extensions of a person’s heart._ Both Yen Sid and Mickey had told him that once. It was why the Kingdom Key had chosen Sora in Riku’s moment of weakness, because it knew Sora was more capable of protecting Riku’s heart than Riku was himself. At some point, for some reason, Sora had made the key to unlocking Kingdom Hearts an extension of his own heart.

 

Sora was waiting patiently for him to take the blade from him. He reached out a hand and curled his fingers around the handle. Unlike what he expected, it didn’t disappear in a cloud of golden light. The handle was a little warm from where Sora had been holding it. It didn’t feel much heavier than Braveheart, but he knew Sora was better with lightweight weapons.

 

Sora let go of the blade and took a step back so Riku could hold it up.

 

“You know, if you weren’t in your pyjamas you’d look like a prince,” Sora teased softly. “With the light and the blade.” He gestured at the sky that was turned various shades of orange, pink and purple. “What do you think?”

 

Riku put his other hand on it and held it straight up. “I think only you could accidentally become the most powerful Keyblade wielder in the worlds.”

 

Sora stuck his tongue out at Riku.

 

“I’m serious, Sora, this is incredible. Does anyone else _know_?”

 

Sora tilted his head to the side. “Well, you do, now. Funny huh, I’m not even a Master yet and I can do this.”

 

Riku lowered the blade. “Sora, what do you mean, you’re not a Master?”

 

“I’m pretty sure you were there when I bombed the Mark of Mastery.” Sora said, looking at Riku like he’d hit his head.

 

“Listen to me,” Riku said, getting right up into Sora’s personal space and wrapping the arm not holding the blade around his waist. “You saved everybody. You used the power of waking to bring someone back from basically the dead. Then, after your own heart was lost because of that, you came back.”

 

“Pretty sure I had help with that. Help being you.” Sora replied, pressing a kiss to Riku’s chin.

 

“You can summon the X-blade, Sora. To hell with the Mark, you’re a Master now. If Yen Sid has any issues with that you can send him to me.”

 

Sora scoffed a little but his eyes were also a little shiny. He covered Riku’s hand on the hilt of the blade with his own, so they were both holding it, made a happy sound and leaned up to kiss Riku soundly.

 

Riku’s lips dipped open just enough so he could take Sora’s upper lip between his own and to run his tongue over Sora’s bottom lip. Sora followed suit, raising his free hand to cup Riku’s cheek while they kissed languidly.

 

It was unfathomable to think of, but Riku really wanted to just let go of the X-blade so he had both hands free to hold Sora close to him, but he refrained.

 

The kiss broke slowly, both of them breathing heavily against one another’s lips. Riku pressed one more firm kiss to Sora’s lips.

 

“Can we _please_ go back to bed now?” Sora asked, tucking himself close as he could to Riku’s body. The X-blade vanished in a flash of bright light and with nothing between their fingers anymore, their hands clasped together. How Sora always managed to be so ordinary yet so singular all the time always filled Riku with wonder.

 

He laughed and steered Sora back to the living quarters below deck. He knew he wouldn’t be sleeping anymore, the sun was practically rising, but he didn’t mind lounging next to Sora while the other slept till noon. Once inside Sora buried himself in the mess of sheets and blankets on the large bed, leaving space for Riku to join him.

 

“Can we go to Port Royal today?” Sora asked with a lethargic but hopeful tone. “I can’t eat anymore salted pork.”

 

Riku settled down next to him and ran a hand through his chestnut hair, still in awe of him.

 

“I was thinking the same thing.”

 

Sora curled around him and wiggled a little when Riku leaned down to kiss his cheek.

 

At some point they would have to go home and face the music about the fact that Sora could apparently summon a legendary weapon with the snap of a wrist, but for now Riku decided to lie back and keep it between them.

 

With the promise of sunshine, better food, kisses and the promise of even more freckles showing up on Sora’s cheeks and shoulders, Riku couldn’t find it necessary to change that anyway.

**Author's Note:**

> Sick in bed, so I decided to write a little follow-up to my last fic. Then I will definitely starting working on my other WIPs.   
> Is it ever really explained what happened to the X-blade after Sora shut the door? I think he kept it. I also think he didn't think much of it, only that it's kind of goofy looking, ungainly thing so he never used it often enough for anyone to notice.
> 
> Hope you enjoyed, if you'd like you can follow me on Twitter at @laughertea.


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